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Kim Nemeth pulls the winning 50-50 raffle ticket during Saturday's Pasta Sauce-Off event held at the LaSalle Yacht Club. The event is a fundraiser for Carly's Club of Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Also pictured, from left, are event organizers Jessica Flash and Allyson Nemeth, and volunteer Ryan Costolnick. (Photo by Larry Austin)
Kim Nemeth pulls the winning 50-50 raffle ticket during Saturday's Pasta Sauce-Off event held at the LaSalle Yacht Club. The event is a fundraiser for Carly's Club of Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Also pictured, from left, are event organizers Jessica Flash and Allyson Nemeth, and volunteer Ryan Costolnick. (Photo by Larry Austin)

Pasta Sauce-Off event packs LaSalle Yacht Club

Sat, Mar 11th 2017 07:00 am

It's a good problem to have when there are few available seats at your fundraiser.

Saturday's fourth annual Pasta Sauce-Off packed the LaSalle Yacht Club in a fundraiser for Carly's Club of Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

"We can see a lot of money being raised as people come in," said Jessica Flash, who organizes the event with Allyson Nemeth. The two 14-year-old Island girls are longtime fundraisers for Carly's Club with their group Cooking for Cancer. "And everyone who comes is so generous with their money," Flash added.

Nemeth said she and Flash worked late into Friday night setting up for the fundraiser and thanking the 15 volunteers who assisted.

Moving to another, bigger venue from the LaSalle yacht Club isn't in the plans.

"This is our home. This is where it's always been, so it would be really weird" to move to a bigger venue, Flash said. "And the club is so generous. They donate the pasta, they have workers here to help us out if we need anything."

Islander Tina Giambra-Luthringer won the Sauce-Off and the coveted wooden spoon first-place award. Giambra-Luthringer was the winner for the third time in four years with her "Grandma's creamy tomato sauce." She said becoming a champion in the event takes "fresh ingredients and lots of garlic."

She called the Pasta Sauce-Off "a wonderful benefit to raise money for kids with cancer," like the son of a good friend who died of brain cancer.

Giambra-Luthringer's daughter is a volunteer and classmate of Flash and Nemeth and St. Stephen School and Cardinal O'Hara High School.

"They do a ton of work," she said of the event organizers.

Islander Rick Frosolone had a good-natured battle with Giambra-Luthringer, hoping to dethrone her. "She's tough competition. Both of our sauces are right from our garden," Frosolone said. "She is a good cook, I'll give her that much."

The real winner was Carly's Club, thanks to Flash and Nemeth.

"This is the fourth year, and I'll tell you what, these girls are doing a great job," Frosolone said.

 

Islanders Tina Giambra-Luthringer and Rick Frosolone were friendly adversaries during the event. Giambra-Luthringer won first place, for the third time in four years of the Sauce-Off's history, with her "Grandma's creamy tomato sauce." (Photos by Larry Austin)

 

 

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